>> MY PLEASURE.

>> ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS HAS OFTEN SAID IT'S NOT THE MAPS THAT RESULT IN OUT-SIZED REPUBLICAN MAJORITIES IN THE LEGISLATURE; IT'S THAT THEY HAVE BETTER CANDIDATES.

SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, ZAC SCHULTZ, IS HERE NOW WITH ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT IMPACT ELECTIONS.

HI, ZAC.

>> HELLO, FREDERICA.

>> SO IS IT TRUE THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE BETTER CANDIDATES AND MESSAGING AND ORGANIZING?

>> WELL, WHEN ROBIN VOS SAYS THAT, WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO IS, IN 2018, WITH TAMMY BALDWIN'S SENATE RUN, IN 2022 WITH GOVERNOR EVERS' RE-ELECTION, THEY EACH WON AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET A NUMBER OF ASSEMBLY DISTRICTS AND ENOUGH THAT THE DEMOCRATS WOULD HAVE HAD THE MAJORITY IN THE ASSEMBLY IF ALL OF THEIR DOWNBALLOT DEMOCRATS HAVE WON THEIR RACES AND HE SAYS THAT PROVES THAT DOWN-BALLOT REPUBLICANS WEAPON WIN ON THEIR MESSAGING.

THERE'S ALSO THE F ACT THAT IN WISCONSIN SPLIT TICKET VOTERS EXIST AND THEY DO SEPARATE OUT THEIR FEELINGS ON WHO SHOULD BE A U.S.

SENATOR OR A GOVERNOR AND WHO SHOULD RUN FOR ASSEMBLY.

THERE IS TRUTH IN WHAT HE'S SAYING BUT A DIFFERENT DISTRICT MAKEUP WILL AFFECT THAT AS WELL.

>> SO AS TO THE QUESTION OF INCUMBENTS LANDING IN THE SAME DISTRICT WITH NEW MAPS, HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS THAT?

>> WELL, THAT HAPPENS EVERY 10 YEARS DURING REDISTRICTING ANYWAY.

IN THE PAST, THE LEG ISLATURE HAS TRIED TO AVOID THAT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR INCUMBENTS.

REPUBLICANS IN 2011 UNDER SCOTT WALKER TRIED TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF INCUMBENTS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THAT AND THE SAME THING THE LAST ROUND.

IT'S NOT UNUSUAL AND WISCONSIN'S LAWS ON WHO CAN RUN AND WHAT DISTRICT ARE VERY LOOSE.

SO RESIDENTS REQUIREMENTS DON'T LIMIT AN INCUMBENT WHO IS JUST OUTSIDE THEIR NEW BORDER TO RUN OVER HERE, GET AN APARTMENT, MOVE IN AFTER THEY WIN.

WE'VE GOT CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY OWNED HOMES THIS OTHER DISTRICTS AND TAKEN PROPERTY TAX CREDITS ON THOSE HOMES BUT STILL REPRESENTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THERE ISN'T AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM.

IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO MOVE IF ONE WANTS TO RETIRE OR THEY'RE GOING TO RUN EACH OTHER IN A PRIMARY.

>> SO WHAT ARE OTHER IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW MAPS IN TERMS OF GOVERNING?

IS IT MOST CONCEIVABLE ITERATIONS THAT THERE ISN'T -- THAT MOST OF THESE MAPS, THERE WOULD STILL BE A REPUBLICAN ADVANTAGE?

>> WELL, THAT'S THE GEOGRAPHIC NATURE OF THE STATE, THE DISTRIBUTION OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IS CONCENTRATED IN THE CITIES AND IN URBAN AREAS AND REPUBLICANS ARE A LITTLE MORE SPREAD OUT AT THE MOMENT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T DRAW DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS IN URBAN AREAS OR BY TAKING OUT CHUNKS OF CITIES.

THAT'S BEEN DONE AND PROVEN THESE MAPS ARE POSSIBLE, BUT THE AVERAGE MATHEMATICIANS HAVE TOLD US IN THE PAST WILL SLIGHTLY FAVOR REPUBLICANS, BUT THAT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT SWING ELECTIONS, WAVE ELECTIONS AND CANDIDATE QUALITY, AS ROBIN VOS HAS TALKED ABOUT.

>> SO YOU SUGGESTED THE REPUBLICAN MAPS ARE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT BUT EXPERTS SAY THAT IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY IT WOULD GO THERE.

>> WELL, THIS IS THE REPUBLICANS' HAIL MARY.

THEY WANT TO KEEP ALL OF THEIR OPTIONS IN SO IF THE SUPREME COURT DOES WEIGH IN AND SAY THE ONLY THING WRONG WAS THE NONCONTIGUOUS DISTRICT, THE MAP FIXES THAT PROBLEM WITHOUT CHANGING ANYTHING AND KEEPS A MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF REPUBLICANS AND THEY'RE HOPING THAT IS THE OUTCOME THAT COMES OUT OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, IF IT DOES GET THERE.

GET THERE.